Category Archives: Love

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What do you do when your stuff is not working and you cannot hear God?

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We all go through this awkward but necessary step in life. Normally, the sentiment of “my stuff is not working” is a recurring theme. This theme is a trick to get you discouraged enough that confusion creeps into your decisions. Personally, I have been here with a variety of life decisions i.e.… (Marriage relations,) business ventures, dieting options etc.) Study these steps and give your life a jump start.

1. Pray

… The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. James 5:16

There are more instructions in the prayer closet than the Library of Congress. When prayer is involved you can rest easy. Be patient in your prayer time. The patience allows the thoughts of the world to fade away. Then Prayer allows the thoughts of your conscious and sub conscious to be subdued. Now with these cares removed you can better assess why your stuff is not working.
2. Follow the last thing God told you.
God speaks to all of us differently but you can guarantee that He speaks to everyone. We are all His children. It is easier for those who write things down to go back and see what was said. When God speaks rest assured that you remember. You may not want to go back that far or possibly do not want to complete the assignment but after prayer you will remember what He said to you.
3. Stop running away from your problems
If you are running, you are not building. Slow down and focus on building a better you. Build new(ideas, stuff) if new construction is necessary. Sometimes we are trying to make a mansion out of rubble. Either way you cannot build a mansion on the run. It is especially hard to establish a kingdom without addressing your problem areas. The problem may be that you choose the wrong system for the current environment. If you are being sweet when the “Warrior” is necessary… change systems to fit the times. Start running towards your vision.

“God is quiet because He is not in control of the ship” Janetta Spencer

4. Change under the New Captains orders

When you get your bearings and {understand what stuff works} it is time to change under the new Captain’s orders. We want to say “God is the captain of my soul”. If God is the captain of your soul then change your thinking to align with His words. If you relinquish the control and can be led by the Spirit all the decisions are easy.

You have to learn how to make the right decisions to avoid getting to the place where you say, “What do you do when your stuff is not working and you cannot hear God.”

6. Be Patient now and in the future


There is a time period to truly understand what God said. Some messages will come to you instantly and most messages are seeds that take time to grow. Rather the seed is waiting for us to grow.

Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.James 5:7 

Some blessings seem take time even after the evidence appears just like the corn stalk is green and pretty for a long time before the vegetable appears. If there is no tangible sprouts or fruit after several sowing seasons go back to step one and fervently pray. No time is wasted following God because even if you made a misstep He will reward you.
If your stuff is not working the issue is either lack of patience or lack of proper hearing and both can be solved in your prayer room. After you pray then go out and perform. God is faithful and the world is waiting to see if you believe in the seeds you have sown with your mouth and your actions. When you follow God, Pray, Act and exhibit patience then “Your stuff will work and you will continue to hear God”

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Patience has no fear

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  • Fear and faith cannot exist together
  • Children of God must act on the will of their Father

 

 

Patience has no fear because it knows the outcome will be delightful.  Fear comes to move you off of your path of great accomplishment.  Once I was afraid to commit to working out because, I thought the time would take away from my family. Then I questioned if an unhealthy lifestyle would take away years at the end of my life or cause countless days at the doctor’s office.  Fear has an unstable foundation and will crumble with careful consideration.  A person can live with fear so long, that it becomes comfortable to them.  We let fear speak to us in daily activities, so much that we think fear is our unconscious mind attempting to protect us. We must use our faith, our abilities and the Almighty to combat this enemy.  In the canvas of the mind fear and faith cannot co-exist, one will dominate.  Faith requires action, fear promotes inaction.  When decisions arise today ask for wisdom to recognize when you are bowing down to the calamitous reports of fear.

 

Strive to be a faith giant.  Faith giants move to different states to pursue dreams. Faith giants call businesses with ideas to sell and have no prior experience.  Faith giants claim debt freedom while possessing a horrid debt to income ratio.  God helps faith giants and those of little faith but the more your faith is evident the more He has to work with.  The Bible says,

“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.”  1 John 4:18

 

So love yourself, love people and love the Creator who continually supports you.  Repel fear and be patient for your dreams.

How have you overcome fear recently?

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15 years of Marriage teaches Paitent Leadership

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http://www.flickr.com/photos/juan-antonio-capo/

On my 15th wedding anniversary I thought about, what have I learned. It is shared here with you to enjoy. May God bless you and all the marriages around the world. I am grateful that my wife taught me and I thank God for the ability to listen and hear the wisdom of Patience.

1. You can’t do it alone
In marriage you quickly realize that anything you can do by yourself is better when done together. Leadership is the similar because marriage is
an agreement between two people to love, honor and respect

2. Communication is essential
Leaders have to communicate early and often. In marriage you have to communicate even earlier and more often

3. Listening is essential
The old saying, “you have two ears and one mouth” should be the clue. Like in marriage, leaders should close their mouths and open their hearts
so that peace and progress can prevail

4. Breaks are necessary
Leading a volunteer organization caused me to realize that taking a break from the familiar routine refreshed all aspects of the team. If
something is not as smooth as you would hope take a pause for the cause and decide what is the most positive direction for everyone involved.

5. Detailed plans reduce friction
“Write your vision and make it plain”, this Bible verse holds true in marriage and leadership. Do not be afraid to write your goals on
small issues as well as the large ones. This will cause you less time in the explanation phase

6. Assumptions cause friction
Do not assume you know what the other person is thinking or how the other person will react. I am still learning how to implement this is
everyday partial applications. Sometimes disagreements are only in the mind and not necessarily the reality. Prior actions are not always an
indication of future results.

7. It is only as good as you think it can be
This is the mind over matter/situation trick. You are what you think you are. You have what you think you have. Patient Leaders say what they
want to see. Any complaints will manifest as actions. Dominate your thoughts, Dominate you actions, Dominate your World(tm)

8. Apologize with sincerity and forget about it
Some people resent a sincere apology because they wish to have their moment of anger but the majority of the world appreciates this rare gift. I
you are wrong just say you are wrong, now everyone is free to move forward. If you forget about it truly than now there is room for love to
abound.

9. Take it serious
Life is serious and so is marriage but moments are precious. So enjoy the journey. Enjoy the small things and expect the big things.

10. Dont take it so serious
Patient Leaders fully grasp situations yet they still direct attention to the lighter side of life. Look for every opportunity to laugh.
Learn as many jokes as possible. Let the smile of others be your reward.

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Mother’s Day was the other day

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This poem is written in collaboration with my children. We think all Mom’s are special and if you have a verse to add please join in and send this to your Mom.

Celebrate life.

Mother’s day was the other day
when you cooked for us and knew it would ruin your diet

Mother’s day was the other day
when you drove us around to our friends house,
to the mall, oh and then bought us dinner with your beauty shop money

Mother’s day was the other day
when you cut your vacation short to come save me from my troubles

Mother’s day was the other day
when you let us sleep in late and you cleaned the dirty dishes
that we were supposed to finish

Mother’s day was the other day
when you went to the 2nd & Charles and bought me a video game
even though we were there only to sell movies

Mother’s day was the other day
when you sent me money for extracurricular activities at school
knowing that you were already stretched

Mother’s day was the first day
when you allowed your body to transform
so that I could have life

Thank you Mom for the first Mother’s day and all the countless other days that you put me first.

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How does your perfect house look?

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Psalm 101

After reading this Psalm I had a few questions.

Who were these wicked?
Who are the faithful of the land?
What if you are the city and the evil doers are the spirits you allow to dwell inside of you?
Can you root them out?
You read it and see what you believe God is saying through David.

King James Version (KJV) A psalm of David

1 will sing of mercy and judgment: unto thee, O Lord, will I sing.
2 I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.
3 I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me.
4 A froward heart shall depart from me: I will not know a wicked person.
5 Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour, him will I cut off: him that hath an high look and a proud heart will not I suffer.
6 Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me: he that walketh in a perfect way, he shall serve me.
7 He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house: he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight.
8 I will early destroy all the wicked of the land; that I may cut off all wicked doers from the city of the Lord.

David seems to have an ability to see himself and all of the forces that come against him. He even has a solution to combat the eveil within and the external evil. So keep your eyes away from wicked things, keep your eyes on the faithful of the land and destroy all of your thoughts early in the process.

What things are you doing to create a perfect way?

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Labor of Love

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1 Thessalonians 1:3 Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;

What does labor of love have to do with patience?

Revelation 2v2 I know thy works, and thy labor, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:

Hebrews 6:10 For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love, which ye have showed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.

Everyone is working on something but not all are working for something. There is an even smaller portion working for someone and the remnant is working for God. The blessing is that all of you who are working for God must realize that He hears you and He recognizes your efforts. In 1 Thessalonians Paul says that he is “remembering without ceasing” the work and faith of the believers. How much more do you think your Father in Heaven is remembering you and your work? The moment a thought of despair enters your thinking then, replace it with a greater thought of the Father cheering for your success.

There may be things you feel you cannot bear but God strengthens you through Patience. A part of my definition of Patience is, “Knowing that the Supreme Being is in control”. So, stop worrying, you are given credit for not fainting. Keep your elbows up and your head down and your guaranteed reward is on the way.

There are many of you that have stopped doing the work of the Father because you witnessed the evil traits of mankind on earth. These evil or twisted actions are just that, actions of man. Do not allow these atrocities to cause you to fall back away from God. Have patience for the sake of the name of the Lord. The incorrect actions of man should propel you to increase your intensity towards proper labor for God. Now that you know that God’s people need visible examples of faithful people.

In Hebrews 6v10 the Bible says, “For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and Labor of Love…” For all of you with a direct relationship with God know that He is not unrighteous so how can you think that He has forgotten you? To paraphrase verse 11. Be diligent and hold out hope for a better day. Next in verse 12 comes a warning. Why a warning for the faith laborers when presumably they have done nothing wrong? I know why because I have been to this place and stayed too long. The place is called “believers apathy”, because we convince ourselves that we do not care about others so we cannot get hurt or be disappointed anymore. Well here is the warning plus the marching orders:

Hebrews 6 v 12
“That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.”

Theodore Roosevelt said, “If we seek merely swollen and slothful ease… the bolder and stronger peoples will pass us by.”

You cannot take the easy way out. If you read further down in Revelation chapter 2 verse 4 states, “Never the less I have somewhat against thee because thou hast left thy first love” The Father knows when you have slacked off and wants you back on the right track. This is why he says find others who are faithful if you need an example to follow and you will inherit the promises. Let’s finish with a promise that you all can hold on to:

“To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God.” It takes a Labor of Love and patience to eat of the tree of life.

What are you going to continue to do for the Love of God?

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Peace of mind that surpasses everything

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One of my friends called me and said he was losing his mind and thought that his life was over. I told him to say ” I have the peace that passes all understanding”. His response was, what does that mean? This was funny to me because I made an assumption that all Christians knew the meaning of this statement. So after a few seconds of silence I had to admit that I knew the peace part but, I had to search to give full meaning to the statement. Here is what I discovered. This is a bible verse that has some contingencies however, they are easy to follow.

Philippians 4 verses 6-7
6. Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

You must do 3 things to receive this peace.

1. Have no care or cast all your care on God
2. Pray and give thanks to God
3. Make your request known to God

These actions will give you peace that others around you can’t understand. Peace that stops you from screaming. Peace that keeps your heart rate normal in chaotic situations. Peace that gives you a stable mind so that you will not lose your mind ” Up in Here”. So the next time you think you are going to “Lose It” say three times.

I have the peace that passes all understanding.

Leave a comment about how peace has kept you in trying situations.

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Walking on Rose Petals

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I wrote this post a while back but it seems fitting for this occasion. Today is a beautiful site here in Alabama, the sky is the perfect shade of blue and there is a smattering of powder clouds wafting across the heavens. The cool undulating breeze announces Fall but recognizes Spring and Summer desiring to capture the moment. My wife suggests we sit outside, I tell her that I must blow the leaves first. She says, “That’s the problem with the world. We always want rose petals to walk on and God provides them for us on a daily basis.”

Well, I first thought,” why is she talking about rose petals when I am talking about leaves, doesn’t she know her rose bushes are in the front and we are planning to relax in the back?” The roses that are in the front of the house are red, yellow, pink and white and for weeks on end there is a fresh path daily to walk upon due to the different seasons that they bloom. So for awhile I focused on the rest of the beauty that is on earth and how it continues to produce and perform tricks for all to enjoy. Amazing feats are displayed like flickering ever visible stars to allowing a moon that can light the entire night sky without disturbing a soul.

In life as with our environment we think that leaves and petals are problems that must be blown away but, if we will stop and enjoy them we can understand that there are blessings from Heaven that surrounds us. High grass crunches in Fall beneath your feet, pine needles, pine cones, acorns, pecans, walnuts and muscadines all emerge for the pleasure of the person who stops and enjoys the moment. So the next time you feel no one understands you or ever does anything nice for you, go outside and take in the majesty laid out for you. And if you walk near arose garden then maybe, just maybe God will throw a few rose petals under you feet.

PS. Even the rain clears away impurities!